Courtesy Boston Family Boatbuilding

This fall, the A.C. Ratshesky Foundation made its first set of grant awards under its new guidelines. The new guidelines refined the existing interests of the foundation to help low income individuals and families.

The new program areas include family partnering in early education, employment and self-sufficiency, and active learning for preteens and teens. The trustees have also agreed to increase grant sizes and consider requests from communities outside of Boston within the I-495 region.

The following grants list includes new grants as well as several multi-year grants made under the foundation’s prior guidelines:

Bikes Not Bombs
Boston, MA
$10,000 to support the Earn-A-Bike Program, a hands-on bike mechanics, safety, and fitness program that reinforces academic learning.

Boston Debate League
Boston, MA
$10,000 to support the After-School Debate League, a competitive, city-wide program for Boston Public School students.

Boston Family Boat Building
Boston, MA
$10,000 to support an experiential education program for Boston elementary school students that reinforces math, science social studies with boat building, sailing and naval history.

Career Collaborative
Boston, MA
$15,000 to help unemployed and underemployed adults get and stay in jobs that will lead to careers.

Chelsea Education Foundation
Chelsea, MA
$6,000 to support family literacy programs in Chelsea.

English for New Bostonians
Boston, MA
$10,000 for the Pre-Vocational ESOL Program, a pooled funding initiative that grants funds to English as a Second Language Programs allowing them to offer English classes and skill building workshops that help individuals prepare jobs in specific industries.

Family Nurturing Center of Massachusetts
Boston, MA
$10,000 to expand the Parent Child Home Program, a home-based family literacy initiative designed to promote school readiness and academic success by strengthening parent-child verbal interaction and reading and play activities at home.

Julie’s Family Learning Program
Boston, MA
$10,000 to support a comprehensive adult education program for low-income women and a high-quality preschool for their children.

Reach Out and Read
Boston, MA
$4,000 for general operating support. (discretionary grant)

ReadBoston
Boston, MA
$10,000 to support Reading Trail/Early Words, a program that helps families and childcare providers reinforce early literacy skills among children.

Sociedad Latina
Boston, MA
$6,000 to provide afterschool programs for all three Mission Hill public middle schools and a college preparation mentoring program for high school students.

STRIVE
Boston, MA
$10,000 to help the chronically unemployed and hard-to-place individuals find jobs and stay employed.

Sudanese Education Fund
Arlington, MA
$10,000 to expand an enrichment program for Sudanese immigrant parents and their children.

Urban Improv
Wareham, MA
$10,000 to support Youth Unscripted, an after-school and summer theater-based youth-led peer education workshop program for Boston teens.

West End House
Boston, MA
$6,000 to support a peer education program for high school students.